FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The Colorado State women’s tennis team will travel to Greeley, Colo., to take on Mountain West Conference foe No. 41 San Diego State Thursday, April 18, at 1 p.m. The Rams will then host No. 61 UNLV Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. The Rams will then conclude their regular season against Northern Colorado Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m.

About The Rams The Rams enter the weekend with an overall record of 3-13 in the dual season. The Rams claimed a victory against Northern Colorado last season 4-3 at their outdoor facility. Colorado State is still seeking its first conference victory of the 2013 season. Natalie Heffron posted her first victory at the No. 2 singles position, defeating New Mexico’s Nikolina Grbac in straight sets 6-0, 6-2.

About Northern Colorado The Bears have earned a dual record of 12-7 this spring in the Big Sky Conference. Junior Stephanie Catlin is a combined 10-9 in singles play, with all 10 of her victories coming at the No. 3 position. Catlin and doubles partner Elizabeth Tapia are 13-6 in dual play this spring. Their 13 victories at the No. 1 position are tops on the team.

About San Diego State The Aztecs enter the match with an overall record of 16-4, 5-0 in conference play. Julia Wais is 10-8 in dual play this spring most recently defeating Fresno State’s Sherif Ahmed, 6-4, 6-4. Wais and doubles partner Kristin Buth are a combined 10-3 at the No. 2 position.

About UNLVThe Rebels come into Friday’s match with an overall record of 14-6, 4-1 in conference play. Lucia Batta is the reigning MWC player of the year, and is a perfect 19-0 this spring, with all of her victories coming at the No. 2 position. Batta and doubles partner Nives Pavlovic are a combined 11-5 at the No. 1 position.

Last WeekThe Rams lost to Boise State 6-1, Friday, April 12. In that match freshman Abby Stevens captured her first dual victory at the No. 1 position defeating the Broncos’ Marlena Pietzuch 7-6(6), 7-5. That was Stevens’ first career dual victory at the No. 1 singles position. The Rams also fell to New Mexico 4-3, Saturday, April 13. The Rams captured the doubles point, by defeating the Lobos in two out of three sets. Natalie Heffron and Adriana Wojakowska defeated Sarah Khan and Michaela Oldani 9-7, at the No. 2 position. Abby Stevens and Mollie Cooper then defeated Kristin Eggleston and Katie Wookey 8-2, at the No. 3 position to clinch the point for the Rams. In singles, Natalie Heffron defeated Nikolina Grbac in straight sets 6-0, 6-2 at the No. 2 position to give the Rams an early lead. Kaley Schultz then defeated Kristin Eggleston 6-2, 6-4 to put the Rams up 3-0. The Lobos then took the next four points for the overall match victory.

Freshman Impact Stevens again saw significant time at the No. 1 singles position where she earned her first victory at the No. 1 position. Stevens and doubles partner, fellow freshman Mollie Cooper, have a combined doubles record of 8-7, with five of those victories coming at the No. 2 doubles position. The pair defeated New Mexico’s Kristin Eggleston and Katie Wookey 8-2, at the No. 3 position, for their most recent victory.

Quotes from Jon Messick“San Diego State is the top-ranked team in our conference right now, so that will be a real test for us,” said head coach Jon Messick. “UNLV is not far behind San Diego State as far as national ranking, so we are looking for that to be a real tough match as well. I think that this will be a real test for us to see what we can do against the two best teams in the conference right now. UNC is always a tough opponent for us year-in and year-out. We have had close matches with them the last few times we have played them, so I expect them to be a tough match for us.